Yummy washoku anchored by soba in a basement setting calculated to remind you of rustic farmhouses. I think you’ve been to places like this before, but the food here is quite good.
In a strange twist for Tokyo, and I must say one that makes you think of the country, this place feels big. The entry room is spacious and not cramped, there’s a large cement-floored area reminiscent of the entryway of a traditional country house, i.e. where they keep the horses, and this area has some random lanterns and other objects on the floor. There’s a large tatami-floored room which seems to be excellent for the kids to run around in, if you’re into that sort of thing, and there’s a grown-ups room with long single-plank wooden tables and rustic cut-from-a-log stools (I’m crazy for this stuff, as any reader will attest if they’ve been to Takumikan in Takayama with me. Look for 一枚板 on the 2nd floor in the shop guide.).
As for food, we had already eaten a little in advance and mainly wanted a chat. We had some beef sashi, nice and fatty once it warmed up from refrigeration; a bit of salad as a concession to health; and a plate of soba, which looked low on sobako, but had a great texture and plenty of flavor. People at other tables were relaxing around the shichirin, grilling up various items (but the Y5000 option for grilled beef seems a little rich in context).
If you’re in Nikotama, you could certainly do worse than this place. I’d happily go back; my only complaint might be that it feels so homey, I want to lie down after eating, and it’s so warm and inviting that you’ll feel a bit let down when you go back out on the street (if it’s December and cold out).
I love a good noodle.
03-5717-9110